Wednesday, 16 September 2015

Spotlight & Review: Love In The Vineyard by Pamela Aares

From USA Today bestselling author Pamela Aares comes Love in the Vineyard, the seventh book in the Tavonesi family series featuring passion, mystery, and well-won love!

A one-night stand brought Natasha Raley the greatest gift of her life—her son. She wants to give him a better life than she had, but a gambling bet lands both of them in a homeless shelter. When the shelter director gives her a ticket to a masquerade ball, Natasha finds herself dancing with the most intriguing and mysterious man she’s ever met.

Adrian Tavonesi is creating a paradise on earth in Sonoma California, determined to be worthy of his vast fortune by making the world a better place. Convinced women only like him for his money and his status, he invents an anonymous relationship with the beautiful Natasha to create a dream world for both of them.

As passion flares into an all-consuming affair, the lies Adrian and Natasha have told each other threaten to ruin everything. Adrian is kind, generous, and sincere—Natasha knows he would be the ideal father for her son. But will her past and the devastating gamble she once made destroy her new world? Or will betting on the truth this time lead to the perfect, ever-lasting love?

“Tasha,
I’d like to take you somewhere. Somewhere special to me. I think
you’d love this place I have in mind.”

She
froze in place. Her breath caught, and she must’ve stiffened, for
he stepped away from her as if to give her breathing room. As if to
make her feel safe.

“Not
now. I mean on a date. To the Asian Botanical Gardens.” He tilted
his head and his eyes glittered in the glow shed by hundreds of white
lights strung in the nearby trees. “But perhaps you’ve already
visited?”

She’d
love to visit a botanical garden, Asian, American or any kind. She
hadn’t known there was such a place nearby. But she wasn’t ready
to open herself to all that an outing with him would likely entail.
Not yet. Maybe never would be if the trauma counselor she’d met
with before Tyler’s birth was right. And it wasn’t just that she
wasn’t ready. She would never be in the league that this man played
in. She shouldn’t even be here with him now. He was in his element.
She certainly wasn’t.

“I’m
not dating right now,” she said, marshaling her voice and willing
it not to hitch with the tension building in her chest. “I’m
taking a break.”

Right.
A six-year break. Ten, if she were to be honest. The guy she’d
dated three times six years ago didn’t really count.

Behind
the mask, Dumas’s eyes narrowed.

“Shall
we wager? Red, you agree to go on a date with me. Black, no date. I
prefer roulette unless you prefer dice?”

He
couldn’t know the terror his easy offer of a bet unleashed in her.

“No.”
She said the word louder than she’d intended, and several of the
people around them looked up. “I mean, thank you, but no,” she
said softly. “I don’t gamble.”

Not
anymore. She’d never wager on anything, not ever again.

A
series of chimes rang out from inside the tent.

“It’s
almost time for the unmasking,” he said. “Let’s go in. I’ve a
keen interest in the auction that will follow.”

“I
have to go.”

“But
it’s ten minutes to midnight. At least stay for the unmasking.”

“I
prefer my anonymity,” she said honestly.

“Oddly,
I’m enjoying mine as well. We could go on an anonymous date. To the
botanical gardens—they’re close by in Kenwood. We can let the
plants do the talking.”

Another
set of chimes rang out from the tent.

“At
least give me your number so I can call you.”

“I
don’t have a pen.”

“I
do.” He pulled an expensive pen from his pocket.

“No
paper,” she said, as if that would protect her. Oddly enough, she
wanted to give him her number. But the thought of trying to write
down the numbers chilled her blood.

“Who
needs paper?” He rolled up the lace cuff of his costume and
flattened his palm. Then he grinned. “Better yet…” He pulled
out his phone, swiped at it and then tapped in a code. Then he held
it out to her.

She
waved her hand, signaling for him to type in the number.

Slowly
she repeated the carefully memorized numbers. She was never certain
if it was forty-seven or seventy-four, but she took a guess. She’d
bought the disposable cellphone at the drugstore and intended to use
it only in case of an emergency involving Tyler. Just repeating her
own phone number was a sort of roulette, a daily game that was
neither welcome nor pleasant.

The
chimes sounded again.

“Five
minutes. You sure you can’t stay?”

She
was already surveying the shortest route to her car.

“No,
but thank you. For the dance. The dances. For everything.”

At
that, she turned and fled down the lighted path to the parking area.
Glancing over her shoulder, she was relieved he didn’t follow.
Maybe he was a gentleman, maybe he wasn’t. One thing was certain,
he swam in waters she’d never belong in and through currents she’d
never master.

If
he called, she wouldn’t see him.

But
she’d have her memories of the evening and that would be enough. It
had to be.

Who
doesn't love a rich man who owns a vineyard? So taking a chance on
Pam Aares, a new author to me was a no brainer.

Natasha,
a single parent has focused her attention on raising her ten year old
son the best way she can, but has made some questionable decisions
along the way, which has lead her to finding herself in a homeless
refuge. Luck smiles down on her and within a short time, her son is
enrolled in a good school and she's been offered a job. It is a new
start for them both but isn't long before crack begin to form within
their new life.

Italian
Adrian
Tavonesi is
passionate about the paradise he's created in Sonoma, California and
has has everything he wants in life...that is until he meets a
mystery woman at the masked ball. She's beautiful, but skittish and
Adrian has never shied away from a challenge. He wants Tasha in his
life, only she's hiding something and he wants to find out what it
is.

There
were times I was extremely frustrated by Tasha. Whilst I sympathised
with her difficulties and struggles, she pro-actively makes things
worse for herself which isn't very smart when you have a
dependent...pride and embarrassment deemed too tricky to handle.
Adrian, forever mindful tries to fix what he thinks is the problem,
only it causes extra distress.

I liked
the protagonists together, both are likeable and the author has
created an enjoyable story with a wonderful backdrop.

I read
this book as a standalone but is actually book seven in the Tavonesi
series. As with similar series we also meet other characters that
have or will be the focal point in other books. I like that premise
a lot, but sometimes as with this story, a few too many were
mentioned. I would have preferred to have met the ones who were part
of the main plot so it doesn't become confusing with too many names.
However. I am intrigued to know more about them.

***arc
received courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review***

Pamela Aares is a USA Today Bestselling, award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance novels. Her contemporary series, The Tavonesi Series, explores the lives, loves, friendships and sizzling romances of the Tavonesi family.

Her popularity as a romance writer continues to grow with each new book release, so much so, that the Bay area author has drawn comparisons by reviewers to Nora Roberts.

Pamela Aares writes romance books that she loves reading, particularly those that entertain, transport and inspire dreams while captivating and tugging at the heart. She takes her readers on a journey with complex characters in both contemporary and historical settings who are thrown in situations that tempt love, adventure and self-discovery.

Before becoming a romance author, Aares wrote and produced award-winning films including Your Water, Your Life, featuring actress Susan Sarandon and NPR series New Voices, The Powers of the Universe and The Earth’s Imagination.

If not behind her computer, you can probably find her reading a romance novel, hiking the beach or savoring life with friends. You can visit Pamela on the web at http://www.PamelaAares.com.

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How many stars?

When posting a review, I don't usually add a star rating. That is something I do as part of cross-posting on Goodreads and Amazon. If you like stars, then all reviews I post would be at least 3 stars or above. Meaning, I enjoyed the book.